Pressure roll adjustment



Feb. 9, 1943. A. F. SHIELDS 2,310,252

I PRESSURE ROLL ADJUSTMENT Filed- April 5, 1940 Y f we [u i V l5; v 7 9w 0 4 F N FIGJ.

niii'u'm i /zilll x x l 5 i Q h INYENTOR. award ,5 Sinalds ATTORNEYSPatented Feb. 9, 1943 PRESSURE ROLL ADJUSTMENT Albert F. Shields,Jamaica, N. Y., assignor to S. & S. Corrugated Paper Machinery C0,,Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 5,1940, Serial No. 328,091

4 Claims.

This invention relates to printing machines and more particularly to arunning adjustment for a pressure roller. The adjustment herein formoving the pressure roller towards or away from its associated rollermay well be used with other types of mechanism.

It is essential that the gears be maintained in proper mesh while theadjustment is made.

Hitherto this adjustment was made in a straight line by moving a box ina vertical plane so that the distance between gear centers was changedsomewhat, introducing undesirable conditions including a bad meshing ofthe gears.

The adjustment of the present invention may be made while the machine isin operation and without in any way interfering therewith. Theadjustment further is under continuous control and the exact degree ofadjustment may be obtained even though the machine is running at fullspeed.

An object of this invention therefore is the provision of mechanism foradjusting a pressure roller while the apparatus with which it isassociated continues to operate and without interfering with theoperation thereof. or with the spacing of the centers of connectinggears with respect to each other.

A further object of this invention is the provision of apparatus andmechanism for moving a rotating shaft in a direction normal to that ofits axis while the same is nevertheless under the in fluence of a powersource and caused to rotate thereby.

Another object is to perform this adjustment from one end only of themachine and to raise or lower both sides the same amount.

' Other objects and uses of this invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a general view partly in cross-section of my device showingthe same in connection with a printing machine.

Figure 2 is a cross-section on line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring now to the figures, the machines III in this case shown as aprinting machine comprises a main roll II and a pressure roll I2associated therewith as well as associated apparatus such as ink rollsl3 and driving apparatus (not shown) including gears ii. The pressureroll l2 (see also Figure 2) is rotated by appropriate gearing throughthe gear l5, idler l6 and other gearin: connections II. A shaft i8 ismounted immediately beneath the pressure roller l2 and parallel theretojournalled in appropriate bearings l9, IS in opposed pillars of themachine. The shaft I 8 is not connected in any way with the ordinarypower mechanism of the machine itself but is neverthelessrotatablymounted and carries at one end thereof worm gear 20' whichmeshes with worm 2i for purposes hereinafter noted.

As seen in Figures 1, 2 and 3, an eccentric 22 is keyed to the shaft [8and rotates therewith. It should be noted that the reason that theeccentric 22, as seen in Figure 3, seems to have an equal radius oneither side of the shaft is that the view is a cross section on Figure 2where it will be seen that the member is truly eccentric, having agreater radius on one side than on the other. Rotation of the shaft l8causes the eccentric 22 to rotate.

While an eccentric is here shown, it will be clear that other cam formsmay be used, and that any other off-center arrangement may be utilizedfor this P rpose.

As will be seen from an inspection of Figures 2 and 3, the eccentric 22rotates in a perforation 23 in a sliding block 24. The sliding block 26.in turn is free to ride back and forth in the slot 25 of the L-shapedmember 26. The sliding block 24 is retained in the slot 25 by theperforated metal plate 21 which is riveted or otherwise at tached to themember 26 and insures that the gliding block 24 will not-move out of thebracket The L-shaped member 26, as seen in Figures 2 and 3, is pivotedon the stud 28 which also carries the idler IS. The shaft i2 isrotatably mounted within the L-shaped member "and carried thereby. Anyraising or lowering of the L-shaped member 26 will result in acorresponding raising or lowering of the pressure roll l2 and willconsequently cause the pressure roll l2 to either inove towards or awayfrom the principal roll l6.

When the shaft i8 is rotated to a position removed in a clockwisedirection from the position shown in Figure 2 then the largest radius ofthe eccentric 22 will be directed in an upward direction and theL-shaped member 26 will be caused to pivot upwardly about the stud 28.This will cause the pressure roll I2 to rise towards the main roll ll.Should the shaft I 8 be rotated in a counterclockwise direction to aposition 90 removed from that shown in Figure 2, then the L-shapedmember 28 and consequently the pressure roll l2 rotatably carriedthereby will be caliisfii to move in a direction away from the main r0Consequently, rotation of the shaft l8 will result in movement of thepressure roll l2 towards or away from the main roll ll, thus changingthe pressure upon any web between the two members in any desired way,that is, increasing or decreasing it.

Since the shaft I8 will in movement of the member 26 describe an arcuatepath with respect thereto, sufilcient controlled play or adjustment mustbe provided in order that there be no restriction upon the free motionof the L-shaped member 26 in response to the change in position ofeccentric 22; therefore the block 24 is arranged to slide within theslot 25 (the motion thereof, however, being limited by the perforatedplate 21) in order to permit the necessary sliding motion which willoccur by reason of the shifting of the position of the L-shaped member28 with respect to the shaft l8.

Obviously, of course, similar mechanism should be mounted on each end ofthe pressure roller l2 and the pressure roller is supported at each endby a member 26 having all of the parts shown in Figure 2. The member [8should likewise have an eccentric attached thereto at each end toregister with the L-shaped member 26.

Any suitable means may be provided to rotate the shaft l8. In order,however, further to control the rotation thereof and in order to providea self-operating brake or locking adjustment therefor, I prefer that therotation of the shaft l8 be through a worm and worm gear combina tion 2|and 22, the gear ration being so arranged as to provide for a very slowrotation of the shaft IS with respect to whatever source is caus ing therotation of the worm 2| and the gear ratio also being such as to providean effective braking means.

The worm 2| may, preferably, be rotated by a handle mounted on a shaftattached thereto, although any other suitable rotating means may beused.

It will thus be seen that by a simple rotation of an auxiliary shaft thepressure roller may be adjusted to any desired pressure. The onlymechanism used is the mounting of the pressure roller on a member whichmay be shifted and the mounting of an eccentric or other cam on theadjustment shaft in such a manner that rotation of the adjustment shaftwill through the eccentric cause a movement of the member which carriesthe pressure roller.

The pivoting of the L-shaped member about the stud 28 provides for anadditional means of support and for better control of the movement ofthe pressure roller, while assuring a continuous engagement of thepressure roller with its driving mechanism including roller l6 which isalso pivoted on stud 28. Obviously, of course, an adjustment of thistype may be used on any mechanism where adjustment of the pressureroller is required during operation of the mechanism. It Will also beclear, however, that such a pressure roller adjustment may as readily beused while the machine is not in operation and it will be noted fromthis description that no springs or yielding adjustments or setadjustments of any kind are required but adjustments may vary from fullopening between the pressure roller and drum .II to complete closure ofthe gap therebetween and a use of any one of the infinite number ofpossible openings therebetween, no fixed or predetermined adjustments ofany kind being necessary.

Many other modifications of my invention will now be obvious to thoseskilled in the art. I prefer therefore to be limited not by the specflcdisclosures herein but only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A printing machine comprising a printing roll and a pressure roll,said pressure roll being adjustable with relation to said printing roll,an adjustable mounting for said pressure roll, said mounting comprisinga bracket, a pivotal mounting for said bracket, said pressure roll beingrotatably mounted on said bracket, a source of nower, a driving meansbetween said source of power and said pressure roll, said driving meanscomprising a gear rotatably mounted concentrically of the pivotalmounting of said bracket, said pressure roll carrying a gear meshingwith said driving gear, said gears meshing with each other irrespectiveof the position of said bracket and means for rotating said bracketabout its pivotal mounting within predetermined limits, each end of saiddriven rotatable pressure roll being sup ported in a similar bracket,each of said brackets being simultaneously rotatable, said means forrotating said brackets comprising a shaft carrying a pair of cams, eachcam registering with a perforation in a slide of a bracket, each slidebeing slidably mounted in a slot of a bracket and means for rotatingsaid shaft whereby each end of said adjustably mounted pressure roll maybe i moved simultaneously.

2. A printing machine comprising an adjustable mounting for a shaft,said mounting comprising a bracket, a pivotal mounting for said bracket,said shaft being rotatably mounted on said bracket, a source of power, adriving means between said source of power and said shaft, said drivingmeans being rotatably mounted concentrically of the pivotal mounting ofsaid bracket, the mounting of said driving means of said shaft being ata constant distance from each other irrespective of the position of saidbracket and means for rotating said bracket about its pivotal mountingwithin predetermined limits, said means comprising a shaft carrying acam, said cam registering with a slot in said bracket, means forrotating said shaft, and means for locking said shaft in selectedposition.

3. An adjustable mounting for a driven rotatable shaft, said mountingcomprising a bracket, a pivotal mounting for said bracket, said shaftbeing rotatably mounted on said bracket, a source of power, a drivingmeans between said source of power and said shaft, said driving meansbeing rotatably mounted concentrically of the pivotal mounting of saidbracket, the mounting of said driving means and of said shaft being at aconstant distance from each other irrespective of the position of saidbracket and means for rotating said bracket about its pivotal mountingwithin predetermined limits, said means comprising a shaft carrying acam, said cam registering with a perforation in a slide, said slidebeing slidably mounted in a slot in said bracket and means for rotatingsaid shaft, said means including a worm gear connection between themeans for rotating the cam shaft and the cam shaft.

4. An adjustable mounting for a driven rotatable shaft, said mountingcomprising a bracket, a pivotal mounting for said bracket, said shaftbeing rotatably mounted on said bracket, a source of power, a drivingmeans between said source of power and said shaft, said driving meansbeing rotatably mounted concentrically of the pivotal with a perforationin a slide, said slide being slidably mounted in a slot in said bracket,means for rotating said shaft, and an indicator rotatable with said camcarrying shaft for indicating 5 thesetting of the rotatable shaft.

ALBERT F. SHIELDS.

